The Lady in the Water
by Toni Boloni
Summary: Namikaze Minato was only twelve years old when he first encounters a mermaid. - A/U - Minakushi pairing.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or it's characters. This story is purely for entertainment for myself and any readers out there.**

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**The Lady in the Water**

.by Toni Boloni.

**Chapter One**

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Namikaze Minato was only twelve years old when he first encounters a mermaid.

It was like any other January school day in Kyoto, Japan.

The air was cold, cold enough to see anyone's breathe escape through their mouths. The morning frost dressed the many naked branches of the sakura trees, those usually bright, pink blossoms sleeping in their buds and patiently waiting for the warm of spring to come. The sun, barely peeking through the winter clouds that blessed the grounds below, had its lazy rays brighten up the inch of pearl white snow which had fallen the night before.

New and fresh, the snow rarely made a sound when a pair of feet, clad in simple boots, casually strolled through the light dusting. Light in his steps, the young middle scholar was perky eyed and awake, accustomed to the early time he set foot out to attend school that day. He was also ready for nature's frigid air and wore a thick jacket, gloves, and a red scarf around his neck. His blond hair was somewhat spiky and untamable; he just decided to leave his wool hat at home. It would slide off either way whether he be practice balancing the trademark soccer ball or by his blond hairstyle.

And speaking of the black and white ball, if one looked closed enough, it had a faded print on it, once written in kanji of the owner's name. But, even legible or not, many of his classmates and neighbors knew it belonged to the prodigy and soccer athlete, Namikaze Minato.

Minato was well-known due to his intelligence and skills in class and on the practice field. Also, his young handsome face helped him along with his quick popularity among the middle school girls gossip ring. However, the blond did not care much about gossip and girls as much as he did with his studies and sports. He knew what was more important at the time, rather than getting suck into the rumors of school.

A sigh escaped his lips in disinterest and Minato immediately turned his attention to the abandon pier he passes by every weekday. The wood was really rotting away, soon enough to be ripped down in the coming year and possibly rebuilt for fishing docks. There were some police line tapes to keep the citizens out due to the unstable and unsafe footing on the old wood. Minato remember the incident that involved a few teenagers almost falling through before the yellow tape stringed across the entrance. It's been about a month since that happened, and Minato wonders why the dock and pier still stood there.

The reason barely crossed his mind as he shrugged his shoulders and threw the ball back up on his head. It landed perfectly and with his arms out on his sides, he continued to balance it while walking without a problem… that until an adult ran by him and happen to bump into his one arms. He must have been in a rush for something important for that when he hit into Minato, he didn't apologize and kept going.

Unfazed by the sudden collision, the middle scholar went to return his focus on the ball on his head, except when he did, the soccer ball had already went on its merry way down the path to the stairs of the old pier. Worry grew on his face as the ball pass the tape and down the wooden steps to the edge of the one dock. It had to hit a nail or something because it came to an abrupt stop near the end. His relief relished at the sight and Minato slowly walked over to the tape. He observed the old steps and knew thanks to his smaller stature (because Minato claims to be a late bloomer), he should be lucky unlike the unruly teens a month ago.

Despite knowing that, he left his book bag behind and was cautious on his first few booted steps, the creaks not going unnoticed. Minato directed his weight near the end of the planks and not the middle, and eventually he was about arm lengths away from the ball. He felt the board go weaker and decided to crouch on his knees for the remaining effort. He supports himself with a palm on the deck and leans forward barely brushing the sports ball before it decided to use that little force to plummet into the chilly water. He dove for it, but he was to slow when he hear that splash below, fingers coming up empty.

Minato gave out a huff. His luck of course. But for being so far, he took advantage that he sprawled out on the dock, he crawl just enough to peer over the wood to see… nothing.

_Wait._

Inching his head more, he dipped it upside down to search under the wood to find not his ball. Brows furrowed and blue eyes peered out to sea to still see only water. It made no sense. Soccer balls do not sink, they float.

The Namikaze boy could only fathom on the idea his ball had a hole or some sort of weight in it. Otherwise, if it was not out on sea, it was down below. He squinted into the water then, searching for that common white marking below the murky water. The blond spotted something immediately and knew it was his ball for its shape began to be distinguished the closer and closer it got to the surface. He could barely react when it burst through the water, the frigid difference far from his own on his face and giving him the chills. He flew back on his butt and wiped his face with his jacket sleeve, the cold stinging his nose as a passing breeze brushed by. Even though he was born at this time of year, Minato did not favor winters cold temperature.

Just about to get up and leave the ball behind, he must have heard something or rather, _someone_, laugh. There followed a few splashes after, and it perked Minato's interest on what was causing them. He leaned over just enough to catch the sight of a girl playing _with_ his ball in the water. Minato went wide-eyed and not just on the fact she was swimming in the ocean in the middle of the winter – it was due to her odd pale skin that was gleaming like the scales of a fish and her bright blood, red hair that splayed across the surface of the water.

He gaped and she must have notice his stare instantly when her own swirling, blue eyes locked onto his, sending chills down his spine. Something inside Minato could not have him deter away from her striking chaotic pools, even when he had seen both of her pupils dilated wider than normal humans at the sight of him.

The silence between them lasted merely a second as Minato went to break it. Yet, the red hair girl sunk back down with such speed, he could not even start a syllable. He covered his face from the second assault of cold water, his sleeve slightly soak around his forearm. But that was the least of his worries at that moment. His eyes searched beneath those rising bubbles and murky surface, glimpsing only a wisp of red before it completely disappeared from his ball floating in his view. He pulled it out, taking his already wet sleeve fo a poor attempt to dry it off whilst watching those gentle waves. Doubt started to ebb the back of his mind, claiming his possibly still-drowsy mind playing tricks on his in the prime time of the day.

And logically speaking, no one would be or _should_ be swimming around that time of year. It was unhealthy and unsafe, especially alone.

Minato rubbed his eyes with his dry sleeve before taking one last suspicious look out to the ocean. He shook his head, stood up and pivots on his heels to return his trail back to his destination to school, so preoccupied on the events that happened he did not happen to hear the wood splinter and crack underfoot. One moment, blue eyes were watching cars drive by on the street ahead of him and then all he saw was bubbles surrounding his body. Only a few seconds later he felt the distinct temperature contrast and had him gasp for air which instead came an unforgiving gulp of seawater. Desperation for oxygen then had him claw for the surface, yet luck was unfavoring on his side as he realized a rusty old nail in the pillar of wood caught onto his pants leg from his fall in. He pulled, kicked, tugged - you name it - to free himself, however the meddlesome nail was twisted up rather well in the tear of the fabric.

It was getting harsher for his lungs, the burning sensation having the young middle scholar swallow more water into his lungs and his frantic movements slowing down. His blue eyes began to drift close as his body began to give up on the fight to stay alive, only the green vale of the ocean above him giving some sort of hope he'll be able to break through the surface for some fresh air. Instead, the familiar white-black ball mocked him as it floated pass him before he saw darkness.

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**A/N: **Soooo... how was it? I know it's kinda predictable, but I couldn't help it!~ And depending on the amount of reviews (and mostly on time to write), updates can become a frequent thing. So don't be afraid to pop in a comment or critque!

Thanks and with love,

-Toni Boloni


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